By ecoRI News staff

Nine Massachusetts projects targeting water pollution from stormwater runoff and erosion have been recommended for more than $1.28 million in grants using funds from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The projects are based in Agawam, Belchertown, Franklin, Milford, Plymouth, Stoughton, Taunton and Watertown. Six of the recommended projects will implement or demonstrate best management practices (BMP) to mitigate the effects of polluted stormwater runoff. Two projects will explore development of funding mechanisms to support stormwater infrastructure. One project will focus on climate change and resiliency actions that can be taken to protect critical watershed resources.

The grant program focuses on implementation of measures to control non-point source (NPS) pollution to surface and groundwater. Unlike pollution from industrial facilities and sewage treatment plants, NPS pollution is unregulated and comes from a variety of sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and groundwaters.

Common types of NPS pollution include phosphorus and nitrogen from lawn and garden fertilizers and agricultural operations, bacteria from pet waste and waterfowl, oil and grease from parking lots and roadways, and sediment from construction activities and soil erosion.